Free the Roads
Free the Roads is the first episode of Season 23. Plot Bulgy is annoyed at the engines always taking the passengers. He attempts to take some that are waiting for Percy to arrive, but they decline his offer to ride on him. Bulgy attempts to block off Percy at the level crossing while trying to express his "Free the roads" policy, but moves after Bertie tells him to. While fantasying about him and Bertie saving passengers from being taken by Percy by taking them instead, he nearly avoids Max and Monty and accidentally knocks into some steel drums that have some tires on them. One of the tires rolls off the drums and onto a plank of wood that launches a bag of soil into a water tower. Thomas fills up with water from the water tower Bulgy got soil into, and breaks down some time later while taking Annie and Clarabel. Bulgy is then asked by Sir Topham Hatt to take Thomas' passengers instead. Some of the other engines also take on water from the same water tower and break down as well, leaving Bertie and Bulgy very busy. Bulgy initially likes taking passengers, but he soon gets more than he bargained for; Bertie ends up breaking down due to an overload of passengers to take, leading them to ride in Bulgy and causing him to break down as well. When his passengers complain about this, Bulgy states his regrets in getting the soil in the water tower. Unfortunately, The Fat Controller hears this and chastises Bulgy for what he did. Bulgy is then left broken down while the passengers are picked up by the engines. He is then left further dismayed when he is taken back to the garage by Thomas, but is still sticking to his beliefs. Characters * Thomas * Percy * Annie and Clarabel * Bertie * Bulgy * Max and Monty * Sir Topham Hatt * The Teacher * The Grumpy Passenger * Albert's Wife * The Film Crew Leader * The Great Railway Show Judge * Some Passengers * Gordon (does not speak) * Butch (does not speak) * The Lady in Yellow Dress and Hat (cameo) * Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo) * One of Bridget Hatt's Friends (cameo) * Madeleine (cameo) * Madeleine's Father (cameo) * Sodor United Football Team (cameo) * Rebecca (mentioned) * Samson (stock footage) Locations * Knapford * Wellsworth * Dryaw * Maithwaite * Ffarquhar * Gordon's Hill (stock footage) * Blue Mountain Quarry (stock footage) * Vicarstown (mentioned) Trivia * At the end of the episode, Thomas mentions the events of the twentieth series episode, Saving Time. Stock footage from said episode was also used. * This marks the first time since the seventh series episode, Bulgy Rides Again that Bulgy has had a leading role in an episode. Cast UK * John Hasler as Thomas * Nigel Pilkington as Percy * Teresa Gallagher as Annie, Clarabel, the Teacher, and Albert's Wife * Keith Wickham as Bertie, Sir Topham Hatt, the Grumpy Passanger, and the Great Railway Show Judge * Rob Rackstraw as the Knapford Stationmaster and a Passenger * Colin McFarlane as Bulgy * Tim Whitnall as Max * Rasmus Hardiker as Monty US * Joseph May as Thomas * Christopher Ragland as Percy * Teresa Gallagher as the Teacher, Albert's Wife, and Annie and Clarabel * Keith Wickham as Bertie, Sir Topham Hatt, and the Grumpy Passanger * Colin McFarlane as Bulgy * Kerry Shale as Max * Rob Rackstraw as Monty Category:Episodes Category:Season 23 episodes